Hawks confirms device found in Verulam mosque is a bomb

The Hawks has confirmed that a device found at the Imam Hussein Mosque in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal is indeed a bomb.

The device was attached to a cellphone and placed under a chair at the Imam Hussein Mosque.

Worshippers who had gathered for evening prayers on Sunday night had to be evacuated.

“We have a brief meeting with the explosive unit members, they confirmed that its mechanism is an explosive but they haven’t analysed what chemicals its made of. We’ll leave it to them as experts to explain to our communities on what it really is,” said Simphiwe Mhlongo, KZN Hawks Spokesperson.

Authorities are appealing to residents to remain calm.

On Thursday, three men, including the mosque’s moulana, were injured when knife-wielding men attacked the mosque. Oner of the men died of his injuries.